Association between Palliative Care Consultation and Advance Palliative Care Rates: A Descriptive Cohort Study in Patients at Various Stages in the Continuum of Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Despite evidence that advance care planning (ACP) benefits patients with serious illnesses, there is a dearth of information about "who" is referred for palliative care (PC) consultation, the rate of PC consultation, and the outcomes of referrals in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease/end-stage kidney disease (aCKD/ESKD). Objectives: (1) To describe patient characteristics associated with PC consultations and (2) to determine the frequency and outcome of PC consultation on documented ACP discussions for patients with aCKD/ESKD. Methodology/Design: This is retrospective observational electronic health record cohort review. Settings: University of Virginia (UVA) hospital, clinics, and dialysis units. Participants: Patients were studied along two time intervals. Time period January 1, 2015 to June 30, 2017 included all patients admitted to UVA during that time period with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/minute. Time period January 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019 included two cohorts: patients with eGFR <15 mL/minute who had died during study period excluding those who withdrew from dialysis and those who were dialysis dependent and withdrew from dialysis. Results: Aside from higher rates of PC consultation in patients with heart failure, none of the demographic and comorbidity data studied affected whether or not a patient is referred to PC in patients with aCKD/ESKD. PC consultation rates were low among all patients studied: 14.7% in patients with eGFR <60 mL/minute, 28.9% in dialysis patients withdrawing from dialysis, and 57.1% in terminally ill patients with eGFR <15 mL/minute. In all cohorts, PC consultations were associated with improved ACP. Conclusion: PC consultation is significantly associated with better end-of-life outcomes with more completion of ACP and hospice referral in patients with aCKD/ESKD. PC consultation rates remain low. Even in terminally ill patients with more aCKD, >40% were never seen by PC. Until policies and curricula better prepare nephrologists to independently address ACP, collaboration between nephrologists and PC specialists is recommended.

Cardiac Arrest as a Consequence of Air Embolism: A Case Report and Literature Review

Air embolism is an infrequent but potentially catastrophic complication. It could be a complication of invasive procedures including surgery, central line placement, positive pressure ventilation, trauma, hemodialysis, pacemaker placement, cardiac ablation, and decompression sickness. Usually, it does not cause any hemodynamic complication. In rare cases, it could lodge in the heart and cause cardiac arrest. We present a case of an 82-year-old white female who underwent computed tomography (CT) guided biopsy of right lung pulmonary nodule. When she was turned over after the lung biopsy, she became unresponsive and developed cardiopulmonary arrest. She underwent successful resuscitation and ultimately was intubated. CT chest was performed immediately after resuscitation which showed frothy air dense material in the left atrium and one of the right pulmonary veins suggesting a Broncho venous fistula with air embolism. Although very rare, air embolism could be catastrophic resulting in cardiac arrest. Supportive care including mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, volume resuscitation, and supplemental oxygen is the initial management. Patients with cardiac, neurological, or respiratory complications benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

P16: CARDIAC ARREST AS A CONSEQUENCE OF AIR EMBOLISM STATUS POST CT-GUIDED LUNG BIOPSY

Purpose of Study

CT-guided transthoracic lung biopsy (CTLB) is a widely used procedure for the diagnosis of pulmonary lesions. Complication of air embolism has an incidence of 0.02%–0.06%. We report a fatal case of air embolism in the left atrium as a consequence of CTLB.

Methods Used

A 82 years old white female who presented to the radiology department for further evaluation of a recently diagnosed right lung mass. Shortly following CTLB she became unresponsive and developed cardiopulmonary arrest. Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed according to ACLS guidelines. She was successfully resuscitation and admitted to the ICU.CT chest was performed immediately after resuscitation which showed frothy air dense material in the left atrium and one of the right pulmonary veins suggesting a Broncho venous fistula with air embolism. Patient was subsequently sent to hyperbaric oxygen chamber which she tolerated well. A repeat CT chest and head failed to depict any evidence of air embolism. She was successfully weaned from the mechanical ventilation and extubated the following day.

Summary of Results

Air embolism following CTLB has a reported incidence of 0.02 to 0.06 but has catastrophic consequences if diagnosis is not made in a timely manner. The amount of air entry into the system is directly proportional to the severity of the patients symptoms. The mechanism of air entry in our patient was secondary to iatrogenic bronchovenous fistula.

Conclusions

Despite such rarity and fatal complication, clinicians should be aware of systemic air embolus after lung biopsy and be ready to provide emergent management for the treatment of the patient.

Abstract P16 Figure 1

Air within the Left atrium with evidence of air fluid level